[78-L] we're back from London

[Michael Biel]

Leah and I arrived late last night from our week in London with some
very heavy luggage but luckily no excess baggage fees.  I found 16 78s
at the Portobello Road dealer under the overpass who remembered Steve
Ramm and I from our 2001 visit.  We got about 40 LPs at Record Exchange
on Notting Hill Gate -- the 50 P and L1.00 stuff is downstairs, although
we did get three higher priced lps upstairs first.  Leah found 8 Record
Store Day 45s at Rough Trade and was surprised there were so many RSD
stuff there that late in the day.  We had a great dinner with Julian
Vein and Mary at a Spanish restaurant run by real Spaniards.  Now I can
put a face to all those jokes and puns!!!  As he had mentioned a few
weeks ago, the main HMV shop on Oxford Road is a shadow of its former
self.  MANY rows of bins are empty.  The only peace can be found in the
largely empty classical and jazz room downstairs.  We did get about 40
L2.00 used DVDs of British comedy and quiz shows up on the main floor. 
Steve and I had gotten a lot of NEW stuff when we were there in 2001
when they had a wall of displays about the history of the store in it's
two prior Oxford st locations.  


Of course we hit the tourist sites as well.  There will be loads of
pictures coming up on facebook.


Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com